History repeated itself. The fire that broke out in Sri Lanka spread throughout Asia. It spread from Bangladesh to Indonesia, then to Nepal. The demand for rights eventually turned into an anti-government movement. The anger and cries of deprivation of the common people spread like wildfire. Nepal, once known as a stable country, is now facing instability and uncertainty.

A year ago, a student-led movement in Bangladesh led to the fall of the fascist government. The echoes of that movement are now echoing on the streets of Nepal. Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli was forced to resign in the face of protests. Observers say that like Bangladesh, Nepal is also standing at a turning point in history.

Protests in the capital Kathmandu and surrounding areas are turning violent. At least 19 people have already lost their lives. The most horrific situation has developed in the Federal Parliament building area in New Baneshwar, Kathmandu. There, many people were shot in clashes between protesters and security forces. Not only in the capital, protesters set fire to sensitive administrative areas including Singha Durbar and Narayanhiti, and vandalized. The government was forced to impose a curfew to maintain law and order.

As the situation spiraled out of control, Prime Minister Oli called an emergency cabinet meeting on Monday evening. The army was deployed on the streets. After protesters set fire to the parliament building, the government declared the situation a 'national security threat'. Still, the movement did not stop.

The protests were sparked by a completely different reason. Last year, Nepal's Supreme Court ruled that all international social media platforms, including Facebook, YouTube, and X, must be registered in the country. But these institutions did not comply with the order. As a result, the government suddenly banned Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and X this year. However, there are about 18 million active users of Facebook and Instagram alone in Nepal. Many of them are completely dependent on these platforms for business, education, or daily communication.

When these were suddenly shut down, anger spread among the general public. Small entrepreneurs took to the streets, fearing that their businesses would be shut down. Young people, seeing it as an interference in free expression, began to protest. At first, the movement was just a demand for opening social media. But it quickly turned into an all-out movement against corruption and the government.

The government, however, says that it respects freedom of expression. But the reality is different. Police repression, shootings and curfews have further complicated the situation. The police have admitted that 9 people have died due to the ban on social media alone. Apart from this, more deaths are being reported from different areas.

According to political analysts, the situation in Nepal is a reflection of the overall instability in South Asia. Economic inequality, unemployment, corruption and political deadlock are increasing people's anger every day. Like Bangladesh, Nepal is also plagued by similar crises. And so the fire that started in Sri Lanka is now crossing border after border, creating a new regional reality.